Tuesday, August 27, 2002
For Immediate Release

Madison Student SAT Scores Rise

SAT Results Better State and National Averages

Madison high school students have higher test scores than those of last year on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) while also scoring significantly above the state and national averages.

Madison students' composite score is 1242, an increase of 13 over last year's 1229 composite. The 2001-02 class scored 636 on the math component (626 the previous year) and 606 on the verbal portion of the exam (603 the year before.) The improvement of 20 in the math scores is statistically significant.

The 1242 Madison composite result is well over the state average total of 1182, and significantly over the national average of 1020. (See tables below for details.)

SAT participation was at an all-time high this past year with 445 MMSD students, up from 428 the year before. The participation rate for seniors was 29%, up from 27% the previous year.

The SAT is a standardized collegiate admissions exam made up of verbal and math sections, with each section worth up to 800 points for a total of 1600.

Most Madison students take the ACT college entrance exam, as reflected in the 72% participation rate (1,113 students) for that assessment this past year. Madison students taking the ACT also outperformed their state and national peers in results released earlier this month.

SAT Score Comparison by Year

Composite

Year      Madison   Wisconsin US
2001-02   1242      1182      1020
2000-01   1229      1180      1020
1999-00   1257      1181      1019
1998-99   1248      1179      1016
1997-98   1254      1175      1017
1996-97   1247      1169      1016
1995-96   1229      1163      1013
1994-95   1219      1159      1010

Verbal

Year      Madison   Wisconsin US
2001-02   606       583       504
2000-01   603       584       506
1999-00   618       584       505
1998-99   609       584       505
1997-98   614       581       505
1996-97   616       579       505
1995-96   608       577       505
1994-95   600       574       504

Math

Year      Madison   Wisconsin US
2001-02   636       599       516
2000-01   626       596       514
1999-00   639       597       514
1998-99   639       595       511
1997-98   640       594       512
1996-97   631       590       511
1995-96   621       586       508
1994-95   619       585       506

Madison Metropolitan School District

Public Information Office
545 W. Dayton St.
Madison, WI 53703
608-663-1879
email: newsrelease@madison.k12.wi.us

Last Modified: 2002-10-28
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